For nearly thirty years, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival has been a mainstay of Mumbai's film industry, but it has been canceled for 2025. On Monday morning, the organizers released a statement announcing the cancellation, stating that a "revamped" festival will return in 2026.

The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival has been canceled for 2025

On Monday morning, a statement from festival director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur was posted on the festival's official Twitter (X) account. "This is to inform you that the 2025 edition of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will not take place as we are in the process of revamping the festival with a dynamic vision and a new team to ensure that the festival returns as a premier showcase for the best of independent, regional and classic cinema from India and around the world," it stated.

"We are working diligently to reschedule the festival and will announce the new dates for the 2026 edition as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and support," Dungarpur said in the statement, which also stated that the festival will return in 2026.

Hansal Mehta reacts

The festival's cancellation for the first time in 28 years has drawn a chorus of responses from film fans and industry professionals. In a straightforward statement on X, filmmaker Hansal Mehta lamented, "It's a cruel irony that Mumbai, which is decked out in the glitz of being India's financial and cinematic capital, cannot maintain a film festival of its own." Left in the hands of a select few..." after being abandoned by the self-proclaimed gatekeepers of film, who sought out flashier venues and more lucrative prospects.

The festival's history

The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), a local public trust, founded the festival in 1997. Throughout the years, financial support was provided by performers like Aamir Khan, while Priyanka Chopra and Kiran Rao served as the Chairperson. Jio was the sponsor of the celebration in 2023. However, they withdrew as the festival's title sponsor last year. Following the resignation of the previous director, Anupama Chopra, Dungarpur assumed the position of Festival Director last year. The festival's 2024 iteration was significantly smaller than prior iterations.

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